


Blueblood

by Sillus



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Bonding, Family Bonding, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Graphic Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Protective Legend, Sparring, Violence, because its Legend, cursing, i always forget this damn tag, i dont think its too extreme but im tagging it just in case, its not that bad but i do provide some details, make it a tag dammit, sorta - Freeform, still not a tag, thank for the reminder friend, this one is a long one folks!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 02:50:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21129551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sillus/pseuds/Sillus
Summary: Twilight hums, walking around them to approach the Loftwing again. It coos in greeting, but does not attempt to smother Twilight like it did with Legend. Twilight frowns in confusion, looking at Sky and Legend, back to the Loftwing, and then at Sky and Legend again. Sky mumbles something under his breath, no doubt puzzling over the actions of his Loftwing. Twilight catches Legend’s eye, blinks, thensmirks.“That’s weird. We’ll probably never know,” Twilight says, not taking his eyes off of Legend.That son of a fucking bitch…“Well, we can’t just sit here on this island all day,” Legend states, glaring at Twilight.Don’t say a fucking word, wolf boy.Sky, once again oblivious, turns to face everyone else. “I can fly to Skyloft and see about getting some help in bringing everyone over.”“Maybe you should take Legend with you,” Time suggests from Legend’s side—wait when did he get there? “Get a head start?”Waitwhat?





	Blueblood

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, listen, I knew this one was gonna be long to begin with, but I was not expecting over 12k words.  
Honestly, why am I even surprised at this point?  
This one is dedicated to my friends Garry and River because I thought about them a lot as I was writing this.  
And special thanks to my friend (you know who you are ;) ) for the title suggestion!!!  
Quick heads up, this has references to Bambino and Mannerisms, both of which can be found in my works page. I highly recommend having read those before reading this one!  
I hope you enjoy!

It’s a cool evening, and the group is currently camping out in a small forest. Nobody has recognized their surroundings, so they unanimously agreed on the fact that they are lost once more. With that in mind, Time elected to have everyone set up camp a little early tonight.

“Alright, Wild,” Legend says with a grin. “One on one with just our swords. No other items. Got it?”

“Should we really be sparring with our actual swords?” Wild asks, though he has taken on a readied stance to match Legend’s. “We can’t risk any injuries right now, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Wow, You underestimate me that much?” Legend smirks as Wild opens his mouth to backpedal. “Don’t worry about a thing. You won’t hurt me.”

Wild narrows his eyes. “You sound so confident.”

Legend winks. “It’s because I am. But if you’re _really_ worried, I suppose we can get Hyrule to use a little magic.”

“I already am,” Hyrule calls from the sidelines. “I’m not taking any chances with either of you!”

“What do you mean “with either of you”?” Legend snaps, dropping his stance to glare at Hyrule. Hyrule rolls his eyes.

“Both of you are the _worst_ when it comes to injuries because you always hide them!”

“You’re not much better, Hyrule,” Wild grumbles.

“You’re right, but this isn’t about me.” Hyrule holds up his hands, a red tint to them. “Just try not to kill each other? There’s only so much I can block.”

“At most, you’ll be blocking an accidental swing or two,” Legend says, though he’s still rather put off. He’s not _that_ bad with hiding injuries! He knows his limits! If he needs to be patched up, then he’ll ask for it.

… and not tell Hyrule because a broken ankle isn’t _that bad_.

“Ready, Wild?”

Wild nods, narrowing his eyes in concentration. Legend assumes his own stance once more and waits.

Upon realizing that Legend is going to let him move first, Wild seizes the opportunity and lunges, his blade catching the light of the setting sun. Legend ducks under Wild’s swing and goes to jab back, but Wild twists away with the momentum of his attack. _A good start._

Legend learns very quickly that Wild is a terrifying force that does not stop. Every swing of Wild’s weapon turns into a series of slashes and stabs with a speed that would stagger most enemies caught up in the assault. It’s a very impressive sight to see, however, Legend is not like most enemies.

Wild is fast, and Legend finds that he has a great variety of attacks that leave little to no room for retaliation. As Legend dodges and blocks, he discovers a pattern. Wild goes to execute another spin-attack, when Legend thrusts his blade forward and locks Wild’s weapon to his own at the guards. Wild catches on immediately, twisting their swords in an attempt to disarm him, but he does not account for Legend yanking Wild _closer _and sweeping a foot out. Wild crashes to the ground, and Legend points the tip of his sword at his throat.

“You’re very fast, and you know how to use it to your advantage, but speed isn’t everything,” Legend tells him as he reaches down with a hand to help him up. Wild takes it with a huff.

“You were able to block me so easily,” Wild says, dusting himself off and flailing his sword about as he does so. Legend takes a large step away from him and hears Hyrule chuckle.

“I was.” Legend eyes Wild’s sword. “It’s a completely different game when it comes to fighting people rather than monsters. Monsters just want to kill you. They don’t worry about injuries, or the best way to handle a fight. At the end of the day, they just want you dead, no matter the cost. People, though? People play it safe. People think about those things and that makes fighting people more dangerous than any monster. They’re unpredictable.”

“You sound as though you speak from experience,” Hyrule pipes up. Legend catches his eye.

He thinks about a lot of people. He thinks about how the castle guards had their minds altered just enough to see him as an enemy. He thinks about Ganon and all those plans he had. He thinks about Yuga and all the times he bested Legend.

“I do.” He turns back to Wild, holding out a hand. “Not to change the subject, but let me see your sword?”

The blacksmith in Legend couldn’t help but notice how cheap Wild’s sword looked. In response, Wild shrugged and handed it over.

The blacksmith in Legend wants to weep in either anger or grief, he’s not sure which.

He holds the old steel weapon in one hand, and he immediately feels how unbalanced the weight of it is. He glares up at Wild, who wrings his hands with a sheepish smile.

“You really need a new weapon. You expect this to last?”

Wild shuffles in place, peering at Legend from behind his bangs. “It, uh… _has_ lasted.”

Legend raises an eyebrow. “Really now? This mess of a sword has lasted? How long is “lasted” supposed to be?”

“Since I… broke the Master Sword.”

Legend looks between the sword in his hand, to Wild, to the sword again, and back to Wild. “I don’t believe that. At all.”

Wild shrugs. “It has!”

Legend rolls his eyes, holding the sword out to Wild, hilt upward for him to take. “Show me, then.”

“What?”

“I said show me!” Legend gives the sword a little shake, emphasizing for Wild to take it already. “We’re not done training yet! I still have to teach you how to coordinate with others!”

“Then what _are_ we doing if you’re not teaching me that?” Wild demands, taking his sword back.

“I’m trying to get a better understanding of how you fight, genius,” Legend snarks, readying himself once more. “I’m not about to have you giving everyone else a concussion. The only way I can get a feel for how you fight is to either watch you in battle, or spar with you myself. I’d rather go with the second option.”

Wild perks up. “If you wanted to spar, you could’ve just said so!”

“That’s not what I—“ Legend cuts himself off. “You know what? Fine. We’ll call it that. Sparring. Yeah.”

As long as he can get Wild to fight, who cares what they call it? Legend needs to improve his form either way, lest _he_ gets a concussion. Wild is so used to fighting mindless monsters completely alone, so it makes sense for him to be terrible at working with others in the heat of battle. If they are going to have to work together more often against both hordes of monsters and maybe even sentient creatures like people, then Legend is going to have to make sure Wild doesn’t kill him—or anyone else—before he can see those battles.

What a pain in the ass.

Again, Legend waits and lets Wild come to him. They fall into a dance then, Legend primarily defending to observe Wild, and Wild trying to break through his defenses. He learns that Wild is not afraid to fight dirty, and that he is incredibly agile. However, Wild tends to attack with wide swipes and long slashes, and while he is good at keeping control of his momentum, Legend can see glaring weaknesses in his fighting style and he can see how Wild can be potentially dangerous to team up with in battle.

_I can work with this._

Legend goes to exploit a one of Wild’s flaws when Wild surprises him. Just before Legend’s sword comes into contact with his body, Wild backflips away, and in a flash he is before Legend and swinging his own weapon. He feels the sparks of Hyrule’s magic react to two slashes before Legend twists away from the sudden assault and lands a swift kick to Wild’s abdomen. Wild, wheezing from the loss of air, stumbles back, and Legend quickly disarms Wild before he can pull anymore tricks like that. Wild isn’t done yet, as he lunges forward and grapples with Legend, trying to pry his fingers off of his own weapon. Legend thrashes, stomping on Wild’s feet and twisting his weapon in hopes of getting Wild to let go. Wild stubbornly clings on, causing Legend to let out a growl. He head-butts Wild, and for a split second, he sees stars, but Wild stumbles from the impact and allows Legend to rip free from his hold. The two glare at each other for a second, before Wild lets out a sigh of defeat. He must have noticed that Legend is between him and the other sword.

“How are you so good at this?” Wild demands.

“Because I’m cooler than you,” Legend chuckles, and Wild pouts in reply. “But that move you pulled, where you backflipped? I’ve never seen you move that fast before!”

Wild grins. “It’s not often I get the chance to do that. I have to have just the right opening and then it just…” Wild falters, looking as if he is struggling to find the right words.

“It just… what?” Legend sheathes his sword, raising an eyebrow. “It just happens?”

Wild jerks his head in a nod. “Yeah! It just happens! I don’t know how I do it!”

Legend hums, watching as Wild steps around him to retrieve his sword. _I can definitely work with this._ Wild’s speed is phenomenal, and he is certainly no slouch when it comes to power behind his strikes. Really, all Legend needs to do is help Wild keep his attacks tighter.

And put a stop to the breakdancing. The breakdancing _really_ needs to go.

As Legend is showing Wild how to just do that, Sky steps through the trees and into the clearing.

“Are you still training? It’s getting close to nighttime,” He says, though his words are accompanied by a small wave.

Legend glances up, spying the setting sun just beginning to dip below the horizon. “Hmm, you’re right. Maybe we should call it a day.”

Hyrule stands up, the red magic fading from his hands, but Wild jogs over to Sky and tugs at his sleeve.

“Wait, Sky, why don’t you and Legend give it a go?” Wild suggests.

Legend exchanges a glance with Sky. He’s seen Sky in battle before, and he’s seen him spar against Twilight and win with his own brand of speed. He will admit: Legend is curious to see how he would fair against Sky. He knows how quick he is to react, and he knows that Sky can analyze a foe in the span of a heartbeat.

Sky tilts his head in a silent question. Legend turns to Wild.

“You got a sword that’s _not_ irreparably damaged?” He asks.

Wild hums, narrowing his eyes in thought—which made the blacksmith inside Legend want to scream in frustration—when Hyrule rolls his eyes and draws his own sword, handing it to Sky.

“Just use mine.”

Sky gives it an experimental swing as Legend moves to stand opposite of him. “Thank you, Hyrule,” he chirps, seemingly satisfied with the weight of the blade. He takes a battle stance, icy blue eyes meeting Legend’s and narrowing in concentration.

Hyrule raises his hands once more, a red glow emitting from his fingers. Legend nods to Sky, who nods back.

At first, the two simply circle around one another, eyes scanning all movements as they size each other up. Eventually, Sky lunges forward and from then on, it’s a dance of blades and lightning-fast movements. Legend is forced on the defense right from the beginning, struggling to keep up as Sky lands harsh blow after harsh blow on Legend’s own sword. _He really **is** fast!_

But Legend has fended off fast foes before. When Sky goes to attack him again, Legend deflects the blade instead of blocking, and then he’s on the offensive. With a few slashes, blocked almost effortlessly by Sky, Legend takes the opening available to him and lashes out with a sharp kick to Sky’s abdomen. He hears Hyrule and Wild gasp from the sidelines as Sky scrambles back, a hand resting on the spot Legend kicked him and Hyrule’s sword raised in a defensive stance. Legend doesn’t give him time to recuperate, springing forward and swinging in a wide arc. Their blades collide and their dance resumes.

Sky tries to overwhelm him, moving even faster than before and throwing his elbows into the mix. Legend doesn’t let him, ducking and twisting and kicking back in an attempt to gain control of the battle. Sky kicks at Legend’s legs, but Legend spins away on feather-light feet. Their swords clash together with a resounding ring, and with every swing, there is a barrage of attacks from both heroes. Legend finds that even dishing out every single move he knows, pulling every trick he has picked up on all his journeys, everything is either blocked, deflected, or evaded by his opponent. _He can’t seize the upper hand._

It takes a lot of self-control to remember that this is a spar.

He is not sure how long their duel lasts. Eventually, however, Legend must make one tiny slip-up, as he finds himself without a weapon in his hands and lying on his back, the tip of Hyrule’s sword pointing at the spot right between his eyes. They heave for breath, Legend’s eyes crossing to look at the sword and Sky staring down at him with a shocked expression.

“I do _not _want to ever make you my enemy,” Sky pants, lowering the sword and letting out a breathless laugh. Legend sits up.

“Ditto,” Legend replies, reaching a hand up to wipe the sweat from his brow.

“You were only using your sword,” Sky adds, reaching down to help Legend stand. “I can’t imagine what fighting you would be like when you have your whole arsenal at your disposal.”

“You didn’t have the Master Sword or any of your other items either,” Legend points out, but Sky just rolls his eyes with a smile.

“That was amazing!” Wild runs up to them with Hyrule in tow. “You guys were so fast and it all looked like a blur but I could see everything and—“

“Slow down there, Wild,” Sky interrupts, putting a hand on his shoulder. He hands Hyrule, who looks to be absolutely star-struck, his sword back.

“You guys weren’t even giving your all in that fight,” he says numbly. “I don’t think I could possibly get to that level.”

Legend reaches over to ruffle his hair. “Then you’re not thinking right. You’ve been using a sword for a long time, you’ve just had no one to teach you.”

“I can’t speak for Legend, but I went to an academy and learned how fight with a sword,” Sky replies. Hyrule and Wild exchange a confused glance.

“What’s an academy?” Hyrule asks.

Sky blinks, then awkwardly coughs into his fist. “Right, you wouldn’t know,” he mumbles.

Legend snorts. “An academy is somewhere you go to study. You might study battle tactics, math and science, how to fight, so on.”

“You went to one?” Sky asks as Wild and Hyrule let out an understanding “ohh!”

“I didn’t, but my s—my Zelda forced me into teaching the new soldiers at one,” Legend replies. _Damn, that was close._

“Oh, interesting!” Sky smiles, all sunny and warm, and it’s such a sharp contrast to the intense, calculating look he had during their spar that it throws Legend for a loop. How can someone be so happy like that all the time? He doesn’t get it.

“I have a lot of fond memories of my time there,” Sky continues, getting a faraway look in his eyes. “Zelda and I spent a lot of time together during the academy.”

Hyrule smiles while Wild smirks. “You and Zelda, hm?” Wild teases.

To his, and everyone else’s surprise, Sky nods with a light red blush dusting his cheeks. “Yes. Zelda and I.”

“Wait, so you two are…?” Hyrule trails off, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

“Yes,” Sky laughs. “Zelda and I are rather, ah… romantic, I suppose.”

“Time’s not the only one, huh?” Wild chuckles, lightly elbowing Sky, who shies away from the contact with a giggle.

Meanwhile, Legend narrows his eyes in thought. Sky comes first in their weird timeline thingy—as far as they know, as everyone has legends about him in their own time periods aside from Hyrule who instead has myths surrounding Legend. From what they have figured out, Sky is supposed to help _found_ the kingdom of Hyrule. It makes sense for him to do that alongside his Zelda, as the entire royal bloodline has the sacred powers of Hylia, and Sky has mentioned before that his Zelda _is_ Hylia reborn. If what the stories say are true, and Sky follows through with his affections for his Zelda, then…

Then that means…

_Sky starts the **entire** royal bloodline_.

Legend stiffens.

_Oh fuck._

There’s… there’s _no way_… there’s _no fucking way_ this is possible. If Sky starts the royal bloodline, then that would mean that Legend, being the older brother of his Zelda, is _related _to him.

_But how many centuries are between my time period and his? There’s no way we could possibly be related._

“Legend?” Hyrule calls.

_No, we **can’t** be! There’s no way the royal bloodline has stayed in power for all those years. Especially considering the Defeated Hero and the wars that followed after! No, it’s just a coincidence._

“Are you okay, Legend?” Hyrule lightly nudges him, snapping Legend from his scattered thoughts.

“What? Yeah? I’m fine?” Legend replies.

“Are you sure?” Sky asks, moving to stand in front of him. His hands hover over him, as if itching to provide physical comfort but unable to. “Your face is bright red.”

_Goddesses above, we even have the same eye color_.

“I-I’m fine!” Legend waves Sky away, scoffing for good measure as he fights against the heat rapidly building up.

“You don’t have a fever, do you?” Sky continues, reaching out a hand to press against Legend’s forehead and _wow, he is losing this battle of wills._

_Get ahold of yourself! It’s just a coincidence!_

“No, Sky, I’m _fine_!” Legend steps away, crossing his arms with a huff. Sky eyes him critically, and for a moment Legend thinks Sky is about to lunge at him and start another spar, when finally he turns away with a small grumble.

“Just take care, will you?”

They make their way to the campsite then, and the entire way there, Legend spends the walk puzzling over his possible relation to Sky.

_It’s just a coincidence!_

But what if it’s not?

And of all people to be related to, it’s _Sky_? The happy ball of sunshine that confuses and pisses Legend off to no end? The hero that Legend hasn’t exactly been nice to because of that cursed sword?

_No fucking way. It’s absolutely a coincidence._

But Legend is not convinced.

* * *

“Oh man,” Wind squeaks, scrambling away from the edge of the floating island. “That’s _really _high up.”

“Yeah,” Legend agrees, breath hitching in his throat at the dizzying drop before his eyes. “It really is, bambino.”

There is not much room on the island they have found themselves stranded on, but instead of there being water on all sides, there was nothing but empty air and clouds far below.

Only one person looks happy to be here, and they definitely are _not_ Hyrule or Warriors—as the two almost started panicking as soon as they registered their surroundings. No, the one person who does not look the slightest bit concerned with their current predicament is Sky.

Sky has the biggest grin on his face.

“I know exactly where we are!” He points in a seemingly random direction, as all they can see for miles around them is the blue sky and the clouds. “The Lumpy Pumpkin isn’t too far from here! And just beyond that, my home!”

“We’re in your Hyrule then?” Twilight asks as Hyrule mumbles, “How does he know?”

“Technically?” Sky shrugs. “My time period isn’t actually called Hyrule. We call this place the Sky, and we call the land below the Cloud Barrier the Surface. Zelda and I are just beginning to build a civilization on the Surface!”

Legend has to turn and cough into his arm to hide the oncoming blush. He’ll just blame it on the thin air. It _is_ harder to breathe up here. _It’s just a coincidence._

“Oh, that’s right!” Four comments. “You mentioned that before! I wonder what—”

Four is cut off by the loud screech of a what sounds like a bird. Wind draws his sword with a wild look in his eyes, but then falters when a giant red bird lands on the island with them, gracefully tucking its wings to its sides and trodding forward with a curious trill.

Sky runs to the bird with his arms wide open and a laugh bubbling from his mouth. He buries himself into the feathers on its chest, almost being completely engulfed in them. Everyone stares as he coos something to the creature. Wind doesn’t put away his sword, but he does lean into the hand Legend puts on his shoulder.

“I’ve missed you!” Sky pulls away from the bird, laughing when it leans down to bump their heads together.

“As heartwarming as this is, I’d like an explanation,” Legend states, squeezing Wind’s shoulder. He puts his sword away.

Sky turns around, a sheepish smile on his face as the bird peers at them from over his head. “Ah, sorry! This is my Loftwing. I believe I’ve mentioned them before?”

“You have,” Time replies, studying the Loftwing from afar. “You ride them, correct?”

“Yes.” Sky strokes the feathers along its neck, smiling even wider when the Loftwing presses closer to him. “Loftwings are our other halves. They take care of us, and we take care of them. Everybody here has a Loftwing, and you’re considered an adult when you properly learn how to ride one.”

“It’s beautiful,” Twilight murmurs, taking a step toward it with a hand carefully outstretched. The Loftwing leans down with a chirp, nuzzling Twilight.

“He is very friendly,” Sky adds as Twilight stumbles back from the force of the Loftwing shoving his face into Twilight’s hands. “No doubt he’ll be spoiled today, hm?”

Wind, having seemingly forgotten what had spooked him, bounces over and offers all sorts of pats and pets that the Loftwing more than willingly accepts. Everyone meanders over, Legend included, and they all proceed to essentially ogle at the Loftwing. Luckily, it does not seem bothered by the attention.

Twilight is right; the Loftwing is absolutely stunning. The feathers are a brilliant red with purple and yellow at the tips of his wings and a pure white underbelly. When Legend gets a chance, he reaches out and runs a hand through the fluffy feathers and he marvels at just how soft they are.

At least, he does that until he realizes that the Loftwing is still as a rock and watching him with beady, glimmering eyes. Legend slowly pulls his hand back, pursing his lips and raising an eyebrow. Did he perhaps not like being pet there? Sky pet his neck earlier, but maybe that was something he only trusted Sky with?

When Legend goes to take a step back, the Loftwing lets out a loud series of chirps and scurries forward, wings unfurling. The next thing he knows, he is _surrounded_ by feathers and smushed against something _very _warm while something that feels suspiciously like a beak… _preens his hair?_

“What the fuck?” Legend shouts, though it comes out more like, “Wmm mm mmk?”

Everyone, much to his chagrin, only stares at him as he struggles to wiggle free. He catches Sky’s eye, who tilts his head at the entire scene.

“_Huh_. That’s new.”

“What the fuck do you _mean_ “that’s new”? Fucking help me, asshole!” Is what Sky would have heard if he could actually understand what Legend was saying.

Trying to escape the hold of the Loftwing has only succeeded in getting him more stuck. Unfortunately, that has only served to make him an apparently hilarious view, because Hyrule has both his hands over his mouth with his shoulders shaking. Wild and Wind are openly snickering. Time is smirking while Warriors and Twilight are full on cackling. Four just shakes his head with a smile while Sky slowly walks over.

“He’s…” When Sky reaches them, the Loftwing stops preening Legend and nuzzles Sky again, letting out another trill. “He… he thinks you’re a child?”

Legend manages to shove away enough feathers to squawk out, “I’m not a child!” Sky frowns, reaching in the mess of feathers to extract Legend from the Loftwing’s hold. The creature hovers around them as the others observe from a much safer distance.

“Maybe not a child but…?” Sky narrows his eyes at the Loftwing, who just trills in reply. “But like… his child?”

“Why would he think I’m his child?” Legend yells, taking advantage of the fact that Sky is volunteering to be a human shield.

“I’m not sure? Loftwings don’t normally behave like this around strangers,” Sky replies, distracting his Loftwing by offering more pats. It’s working. “Loftwings only really act like this with their young, or with their other half’s young.”

_Are you fucking kidding me?_

Of course the fucking Loftwing would know. _Of course_. Why _wouldn’t_ the Loftwing know? The universe is constantly taking Legend’s desires and smashing them to pieces, so of course something so ridiculous would confirm what was supposed to be a _goddess damn coincidence._

_I hate life._

Sky’s frown only deepens, though he is thankfully oblivious to Legend clutching at the sailcloth on Sky’s shoulders. He fights the urge to hide his face in it. _Get ahold of yourself! So what, you’re related to Sky! Who gives a shit? It’s not like anyone else knows!_

“Your Loftwing thinks Legend is either his young or your young?” Twilight asks, rejoining them.

“I suppose so?” Sky replies. “I have no clue why, though. Maybe it’s a Hero’s Spirit thing?”

Twilight hums, walking around them to approach the Loftwing again. It coos in greeting, but does not attempt to smother Twilight like it did with Legend. Twilight frowns in confusion, looking at Sky and Legend, back to the Loftwing, and then at Sky and Legend again. Sky mumbles something under his breath, no doubt puzzling over the actions of his Loftwing. Twilight catches Legend’s eye, blinks, then _smirks._

“That’s weird. We’ll probably never know,” Twilight says, not taking his eyes off of Legend.

_That son of a fucking bitch…_

“Well, we can’t just sit here on this island all day,” Legend states, glaring at Twilight. _Don’t say a fucking word, wolf boy._

Sky, once again oblivious, turns to face everyone else. “I can fly to Skyloft and see about getting some help in bringing everyone over.”

“Maybe you should take Legend with you,” Time suggests from Legend’s side—wait when did he get there? “Get a head start?”

_Wait **what?**_

Sky beams. “Oh, good idea! Come on, Legend, I’ll show you how to get situated!”

As Sky grabs his arm and drags him over to the Loftwing, Legend sees Time give him a knowing smile. A glance at Twilight shows that he is still smirking, but both have an incredibly fond look on their faces.

_I think I’m gonna be sick_…

* * *

“For the love of _Nayru_, Sky!” Legend shouts. “Next time give me a little warning? I almost lost my hat!”

Sky chuckles, “Sorry, Legend. This is how we normally fly.”

Legend grumbles, but let’s the issue drop. Despite the crazy steering at first, Legend really can’t complain given the absolutely stunning view. With the sun just starting to set, the blue sky above them is complimented by the clouds stained orange. He can see all the little floating islands and the big dome of clouds and the wide expanse of the sky for miles and miles.

The Loftwing lets out a joyful cry, swaying from side to side in the air to create a feeling of being rocked. Sky, after they have flown like this for a few minutes, shifts around on the Loftwing until he is facing Legend with a bright grin.

“Don’t you need to steer?” Legend asks, though he finds that he does not feel endangered, but relaxed and even a little sleepy. Sky shakes his head.

“No. He knows where he’s going.” Sky raises his arms, waving to their surroundings. “We’ve lived here all our lives.”

“I thought you lived on the surface?” Legend inquires.

“Well,” Sky hums. “Zelda and I have only recently moved to the Surface. Once we get a settlement going, we’re going to get everyone else from Skyloft to join us.”

“So you can build Hyrule?” Legend presses.

“Yeah.” Sky nods with a smile. “Yeah. And it works. We haven’t even started on other houses or building a small village like Skyloft, and…” Sky blushes, his grin growing fond. “I get to see the fruits of our efforts years… _centuries_ after my time. It’s just… incredible to think about.”

“It’s crazy to think our history starts here,” Legend murmurs. “What is it like living up here in the sky?”

The rest of the flight passes in a similar manner, Legend asks questions in a soft, curious voice while Sky replies with an excitement that leaves Legend feeling rather fond of the other.

All the while he tries _extremely_ hard not to lose his cool about the whole discovered ancestor thing. Though if he is being honest with himself, now that his relation to Sky is confirmed, Legend has found that he has become overly curious with just who Sky is, and that he feels guilty for treating Sky the way he did beforehand.

And he really can’t help but wonder as they near a large floating island with an entire village on it: did he somehow inherit the sappiness from Sky, because _Farore_, he needs to get a grip on himself.

* * *

Time’s Hyrule _sucks_.

…

Actually, Legend takes that back.

Aside from the ranch where Malon is, Time’s Hyrule _sucks_.

Better.

“Of all places to teleport to,” Twilight grumbles, “why the _Lost Woods_?”

“Because we apparently cannot catch a break,” Time replies in a grumble of his own. “Let’s just hope there are no Moblins this time.”

“Don’t jinx us,” Warriors chides. “I don’t want another black eye.”

“We’ll have to make camp for the night,” Time says. “I don’t fancy one of you boys wandering off in the middle of the night while we’re traveling.”

Everyone turns to stare at Hyrule and Wild. Hyrule crosses his arms with a huff while Wild wrings his hands and shuffles his feet.

“Excellent point,” Warriors adds, and then they all disperse to set up camp.

It’s well into the night when Sky sits down beside Legend and warms his hands by the fire. The others are just beginning to settle down to sleep, Time taking first watch. A quick look at him and Legend sees that he has the Master Sword laying across his lap, the hilt gleaming in the orange firelight.

“How did you make it?” Legend asks. Sky looks up at him with a raised brow. “The Master Sword, I mean,” he adds.

“Technically, I only upgraded it,” Sky replies with a light chuckle. “It was originally called the Goddess Sword.”

_Of course it was_.

“But then I had to empower it with three sacred flames. It was the only way for me to find Zelda, and it only truly became the Master Sword when she blessed it.”

From the look in his eyes, Legend can tell that Zelda blessing the sword is not a good memory for him. He briefly wonders what Sky’s Zelda is like. Is she as happy and sappy as Sky? Or is she more brash and witty like his sister? He wishes he had the chance to meet her before they switched. Sky had been rather upset that they spent so little time in his home.

“Well,” Legend starts. “I hope you don’t mind the fact that I kinda tampered with it.”

Sky furrows his eyebrows. “Tampered?”

“I found some rare ore and went to a couple blacksmiths,” Legend continues. “They said they could upgrade the sword with that ore, and I wasn’t going to say no.”

He certainly wasn’t. Not when most of his items could do more damage to the monsters than the Blade of Evil’s Bane. Not after the sword could barely hurt Ganon on his first adventure and left him nearly helpless in that fight. Sacred sword or not, if Legend has the opportunity to make it more useful, he is going to take it.

Sky smiles. “That’s not tampering, Legend.”

Legend waves his hand in a so-so motion. “It kinda is.”

“You made her more powerful. Tampering means to damage something.”

Legend smirks. “Tampering also means to make changes to something without permission.”

Sky mimics his smirk. “But do you really not have permission when we both share the same spirit?”

Legend opens his mouth to reply, only to find that he doesn’t have a good response. Huh. He hadn’t thought about that.

Not only is he related to Sky, but they also have the same spirit. Technically, _he_ made the Master Sword.

_That’s_ _weird as hell._

“I guess it wouldn’t count as tampering, huh,” is what Legend says in reply. He’s not about to go pondering about reincarnation and ancestors and whatever. Nope. That will just give him an unwanted headache.

“Upgrading is a better word for it,” Sky says. “Does it look any different?”

“The actual blade is gold, but everything else is the same.”

Sky looks down at the Master Sword, pale blue eyes narrowed in contemplation. It’s still weird seeing that eye color on someone that’s not himself or his sister.

“If we ever land in my Hyrule, I could show you if we’re in the neighborhood,” Legend adds. _And maybe have you meet my sister._

“I’d like that,” Sky hums. He leans over and bumps their shoulders together.

He doesn’t know when he falls asleep, but when Legend wakes up, he’s tangled in Sky’s sailcloth while the other hero makes his final rounds around the campsite. The sun has only just started to rise, and he wakes up _now_? Sighing through his nose, Legend decides _nope, not yet_, and buries his face into the fabric for a few more minutes of sleep. He misses the shit-eating grin Twilight sends his way.

* * *

“…And the Village of the Blue Maiden isn’t too far from here,” Four says. “We can probably make it there tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a plan. Lead the way,” Time orders.

Legend is decidedly not thrilled to be stuck on a beach. Sand that gets everywhere, salty water that makes everything sticky, the burning hot sun, the influx of memories… does he need to go on?

And the rain isn’t helping.

At least Wind is happy to be here. Legend has had to drag him back to the group six times since they first arrived an hour ago. The kid really wants to swim.

“Your nose is wiggling,” Twilight points out from beside Legend. “It’s from the salt, isn’t it?”

Legend puts a hand to his nose, discovering that yes, it _is _in fact wiggling. He forces himself to relax, and he hates it when he can feel his face heating up. “Probably,” He mumbles to Twilight, glowering at him. Twilight smirks.

“You have a _lot_ of weird secrets, y’know?”

“Is now really the time to be talking about secrets?”

“When is there a better time?” Twilight rests one of his arms on Legend’s shoulder.

Legend rolls his eyes. “How did you even figure that one out? How did _Time_ figure that one out?”

“We have the same type of relationship,” Twilight replies, as if he’s _not_ dropping a bombshell on Legend. “Would it really be so far-fetched to think that there might be another pair of relatives in our group? I don’t think so. Besides, your reaction with the Loftwing confirmed it.”

“Wait, wait, back up, _what?_”

Twilight barks out a laugh, and Legend is very thankful they happen to be at the back of the group, because he is gaping at Twilight with his eyes stretched wide. _Twilight and Time are related to each other? Everything makes so much more sense now!_

“That’s why you two always sneak off together,” Legend mutters. Twilight snorts.

“Yeah.” They walk in silence for just a few moments before he speaks up again. “Does Sky know?”

“Of course he doesn’t.”

Twilight frowns. “You should tell him at some point.”

“And why would I do that?” Legend retorts. “So he can be all mushy with me? No, after the way I’ve treated him before, I’m not going to tell him. I’ll let him be happy.”

“First of all, you don’t control his happiness,” Twilight snaps. “And secondly, have you even _met _Sky? He’d be thrilled if he found out you’re his descendent!”

“Would he be?” Legend glares at Twilight now. “Are you absolutely certain—”

A loud roar interrupts Legend before their spat can continue. Looking ahead, they see everyone else has paused and are slowly looking around for the threat. Legend narrows his eyes and listens.

“Four,” Warriors murmurs, “are there any monsters around here that we should know about?”

“There shouldn’t be _any_ monsters,” Four answers.

Another roar, now much closer. Legend can hear the faint sounds of hooves beating against the ground. Wild perks up, and Legend can see the realization hit him.

“Guys,” Wild calls. “Guys, that’s—_move!_”

Legend doesn’t need to be told twice. He grabs Twilight’s wrist and _yanks_, pulling the other along as he scrambles to get off the road. Everyone else follows suit just as horses fly around the bend in the path, eyes wild and mouths foaming. Wild’s bokoblins ride them, swinging large spears and shooting arrows every which way.

“Those do _not _belong here!” Four shouts, pulling out a bow.

“They’re from my Hyrule,” Wild replies. “Just shoot them off!”

Legend pulls out his own bow, when he sees something much bigger and far more gold than the horses and their monster riders.

“What do we do about the fucking Lynel?” Legend yells. He’s fought his own fair share of Lynels before, but he’s never seen one so _big_, nor with golden fur like that!

Before anyone can reply, the Lynel is upon them, swinging a giant club that’s at least twice Legend’s height. He is forced to run, ducking under the spears and twisting to avoid the arrows. With horses flying past him both close and far, Legend decides his hookshot would be a better option and pulls it out.

He thinks he’s made the right choice when he steals a spear from one bokoblin and whips the hookshot around _just right_ to knock another off its horse. He’s not terribly good with a spear, but it’s better than a sword in this situation. Especially when combined with a hookshot.

Legend manages to trip up a horse with the hookshot and finish off the bokoblins, when Wild runs up to him.

“Hey,” he pants. “I’m gonna distract the Lynel. Keep the riders off me!”

“Not with that sword, you’re not!” Legend snaps. “That thing is gonna break, I’m telling you!”

Wild rolls his eyes. “You got something better?”

Legend hands him the spear. “This isn’t much better but it’ll last longer.”

“Thanks!” Wild goes to run off, but Legend grabs the back of his collar.

“And not by yourself!” Legend chides. “Against _that_ fucking thing? No way.”

“I’ve fought a golden Lynel before!”

“How many times, and how beaten up were you afterwards?”

Wild growls. “We don’t have time for this!”

“Damn right we don’t!” Legend growls back. “But I’m not gonna let you get yourself killed. We’re either going together, or I’m going alone. Make your decision.”

Legend runs off, swerving around a horse as it barrels past without a rider. With the hookshot, he whips the chain and point around, both stealing weapons and cutting down his enemies. After seeing Sky use the whip, Legend thought adopting some of those techniques would be beneficial.

He really appreciates his hookshot.

Wild, as expected, runs after him while using his newly acquired spear to pick off any stragglers Legend missed. They weave their way through the battlefield, gaining ground on the rampaging Lynel.

“I’ll grab its attention, you start hitting it,” Legend orders, aiming with his hookshot. Wild grunts in reply, and with that Legend pulls the trigger.

The hookshot doesn’t even break the Lynel’s skin, but it certainly grabs its attention.

“Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit…” Legend _runs_ as the Lynel gallops in a charge after him with a furious roar. Even with his Pegasus boots, he is barely able to stay out of range of the giant paws and the pounding hooves.

In the end, this proves to be a terrible mistake.

Normally, Legend has a good amount of control when running at this speed due to how many times he has done this before. He still does, but he does not account for the wild horses still running rampant, with or without riders. One horse appears from out of nowhere and Legend doesn’t have time to move out of the way before it slams into him. With a cry, Legend topples over alongside the frantic horse, yelling when white hot pain flares up in his arm when the horse lands on him. It scrambles to its feet and gallops away, leaving Legend sprawled out on the ground and struggling to breathe after having the air forced out of his lungs. The Lynel is nowhere in sight, but more horses and bokoblins run amok, swinging their weapons at his companions.

“Legend!” A voice cries out. Wind appears over him, covered in dirt and sporting a few small injuries, but otherwise fine. He drops his bloody sword and kneels over Legend, face pale white and green eyes wide.

“Hey, bambino,” Legend wheezes. He attempts to sit up, but his arm screams in pain and Legend lets out a whimper in reply. _Fuck, my arm…_

“Don’t move! Wind yelps, hands flying to his shoulders to keep him still. “Your arm is broken!”

A bokoblin from afar hefts its spear up and starts running toward them. Alarmed, Legend pulls the trigger on his hookshot, watching the blade stab into the monster and trip it up. He goes to pull it back when Wind lets out a cry. Legend looks up to find an arrow in his shoulder.

Sky appears from the midst of battle, looking far worse than Wind with several gashes and four arrows in his back. He stabs the bokoblin that shot the arrow and runs up to them, panting.

“We’re in trouble,” He gasps. “Wild is leading the Lynel away, but those horses are brutal. And I haven’t seen one bokoblin that’s not infected.”

Legend snarls, waving Wind away and pushing himself up to a sitting position. “Fuck, all of them are infected?”

“We don’t know about the Lynel, but I wouldn’t be surprised,” Sky adds.

“Shit, of course.” Legend retracts the hookshot, letting Sky and Wind finish off the monster he dragged along with it. He hates the fact that Sky is right. Darkened blood stains the ground and their weapons as Wind helps Legend stand properly and starts leading him away from the fight. He has to bite back a cry when his arm is jostled. Sky defends them from other monsters that come after them, moving with that deadly speed of his and using every part of his body in each swing. He knows Sky can handle himself. He’s been on the receiving side, after all.

Wind gets him just far enough from the battlefield when the Lynel comes back with Wild nowhere to be seen. Legend’s heart nearly stops when he sees blood gleaming on the Lynel’s pelt and armor. It veers sharply off its path, and Legend frowns at its odd behavior, before his eyes follow its line of sight.

Sky is locked in battle with three Bokoblins, sporting more wounds and he’s fighting with his left arm instead of his right—his right arm is mangled as if something gnawed away at it.

And the Lynel—_no no no!_

“_Sky!_” Legend shrieks, horror and fear overriding every thought and action. He pushes himself off of Wind and tries to run back to the battlefield in a vain attempt to help his ancestor. Something—probably a fucking arrow—causes his leg to flare up in pain, sending him crumpling to the ground and utterly _useless._

It’s as if everything is happening in slow motion. Legend struggles to push himself to his feet, his body fighting him in every way it can, all while the Lynel keeps charging with its club raised high above its head. Sky, still trying to fend off the infected bokoblins, notices the looming threat too late. Just as he’s turning around, the club slams into him.

Sky doesn’t scream, even as his limp body flies through the air and away from Legend. The Lynel doesn’t stop there, still rampaging and swinging the club, headed in Sky’s direction, and Legend can do _nothing!_ The club—the amount of damage that thing could do—at best, Sky’s ribs are shattered. And with that mangled arm and those wounds—!

Wind runs back into the fray with a cry of outrage before Legend can think to stop him—though with his broken arm and his mind stunned due to complete shock, he doubts he’d be able to do anything anyway.

_Did that really just happen?_

No… There’s no way... Legend manages to get to a sitting position, gripping his hookshot with a trembling hand. No. No way. Sky is hurt, and Legend can’t just sit here and do nothing. He stands on shaking legs and, with his arm tucked into his side, limps back to the battle. He has to find him. _He has to find him._

He considers the medallions. It could really end up hurting the others, but if things keep going like this, they’ll all be terribly injured anyway, if not killed. Legend shoots the hookshot at a bokoblin approaching Hyrule’s backside and yanks it toward himself. Hyrule turns around when he hears the monster cry out and finishes it off.

“Legend, what are you doing?” Hyrule yells, running to him. When his arms come up to support him, Legend leans into him with a grunt.

“Sky got hit by the Lynel,” Legend replies. “He got hit with that club. I have to find him.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed in this state!” Hyrule admonishes. “I’ll look for Sky! You need to get out of the fight.”

“Screw off, Hyrule,” Legend snaps. “I _have _to find him!”

Hyrule flinches, and Legend feels a faint twinge of guilt at the action, but he can’t bring himself to care right now. Sky is hurt. He has to find him. He can apologize to Hyrule later.

But Hyrule doesn’t let him go, and when Legend meets his eyes, he sees them burning with a fierce protectiveness that reminds Legend of Twilight.

“I’ll look for him,” Hyrule states in a commanding tone. “You need to get out of here before you end up dead in a fucking ditch.”

It’s hard to argue when he’s using Legend’s own words against him. Legend snarls, but Hyrule stands his ground, and that’s when Legend sees that while Hyrule is fierce and steady, he’s also absolutely terrified.

Terrified for _him._

He needs to find Sky, but…

_Fuck!_

Legend doesn’t get a chance to take action. Another horse charges toward them with a Bokoblin swinging a spear. Hyrule yelps when Legend yanks him out of its path and they topple over, and Legend can’t help the yell he lets out when he lands on his arm. The spear lands inches from his head, and he takes a shuddering breath as Hyrule scrambles up and lunges to cover Legend.

“Hyrule!”

Legend and Hyrule look toward where they heard the voice to see Sky barely able to stand on two legs. He holds his left hand up, the sword clutched in it pointing to the sky above, but it’s wobbling harshly.

“Hyrule, _lightning strikes twice_!” Sky bellows.

_What? How is he—what’s going on? What does that mean?_

“Wait,” Legend gasps out as Hyrule stands and steps away from him, scared but determined. “Hyrule, what are you doing?”

Hyrule ignores him, raising a hand to the sky in a similar position to the Chosen Hero, and Legend knows what Hyrule is going to do, but he doesn’t know the true extent of what Hyrule and Sky are doing—a crucial missing piece. Hyrule, now trembling, swallows and mutters something under his breath.

Lightning crashes from the sky, striking the ground and any monsters that happen to be in its way. The Lynel freezes, electricity crawling along its skin and leaving it paralyzed.

And Sky…

Sky _screams _when his sword is struck, but he stands strong as the lightning runs its course through the sword and his body. The teal color illuminates him in an eerie glow, his clothes catching fire from the magic and his hair sticking up with static. With an enraged and agonized cry, Sky swings his sword and sends a beam of lightning right at the frozen Lynel. With it paralyzed by Hyrule’s spell, it has nowhere to go.

Legend doesn’t watch as the Lynel is no doubt cleaved into two. His eyes are on Sky, and he sees his eyes roll back into his head as he goes limp and drops to the ground. Hyrule takes a step toward him, only for his legs to give out. He crumples, unconscious.

Everything is eerily silent as Legend digs his good hand into the blood-soaked dirt and begins to crawl toward Hyrule. The kid is out cold, but breathing and sustaining minor injuries.

Legend manages to get his legs underneath him from there. Ignoring the pain from the arrow, he stumbles across the battlefield, only to trip over his feet and fall to his knees. He lets a yell slip out as automatically moves his bad arm to steady himself, and he has to crawl the last few feet to reach Sky’s side, who is gasping short, shallow breaths. He can smell the charred flesh that’s no doubt coming from his left arm. The rain must have put out the fire.

Sky blearily looks up at him, pale blue eyes meeting Legend’s identical ones. He is covered in blood and dirt, more gashes in his skin to join the ones already there before. His right arm looks worse, as if something was stabbed into it and ripped out. Perhaps that was the case. And his left arm… lightning feathers run across his burned skin in angry red trails, leaving scorch marks in their wake. Then there’s his chest, which looks unnaturally lumpy and distorted from where the club hit him. And there are so many hoof-prints in his clothes—was he _trampled?_

“Sky,” Legend rasps. Sky blinks slowly, and Legend hears his breathing begin to slow. Legend’s good hand flies to his shoulder to shake him.

“No!” He yells. “No, stay awake! If you fall asleep now, you might not wake up!”

Sky doesn’t respond, staring at Legend with unfocused eyes. Wait, one of his pupils is bigger than the other. _A fucking concussion on top of all this…_

Legend lightly slaps his cheek. “Don’t fall asleep, Sky.” His breathing is quickening. “We can get you help, just stay awake.” His hands are shaking. “You’ll be better in no time, but you have to stay awake.” Sky’s eyes are slowly closing, his breathing growing shallower and shallower. No no no no _no no no!_

“Stay with me, dammit!” Legend holds Sky’s eyelids open, but his eyes are glassy and dull. No no no no no!

This can’t be it for Sky. This _can’t_ be! No! Legend shakes him again, but Sky is so lax under his hand, and his breathing is so faint and Legend doesn’t know what to do! He can’t die here! Not without… not without knowing…

“I’m your descendant!” Legend blurts out in a cry. Sky’s eyes move to look up at him, a gleam in them that wasn’t there before.

Legend swallows. “I’m your descendant,” he gasps. “You and Zelda… You two make it. You start the Royal Family. I’m Zelda’s brother. I’m your descendant.”

Sky takes a slightly deeper breath, shakily raising his burned hand to brush his knuckles against Legend’s cheek. When his hand opens to cup his face, Legend leans into it, raising his good hand to hold Sky’s in place.

“Don’t you dare die on me, you bastard,” Legend hisses. “You have a bloodline to father.”

Sky goes limp, eyes falling shut and body going utterly still.

* * *

Twilight has to physically restrain Legend to keep him from damaging his arm even further. Legend fights him at any chance he gets, desperate to get back to Sky’s side.

“Twilight, you fucker, let me _go_!” Legend snarls, clawing at Twilight’s arms.

Twilight tightens his hold on his abdomen, crushing Legend to his chest and causing him to wheeze. “You need to calm down.”

“I can’t just sit here and—“

“You’re too injured to help!”

“Twilight you don’t understand!”

“I’m the only person who _does_ understand!”

“I need to get over there!”

“You need to stay here and _heal_!”

“But—“

“You’re only going to get in the way!” Twilight roars causing Legend to stiffen. “You can’t help! Your arm is broken and your ribs are fractured! You can barely walk, and with the way you’re panicking, you’re going to end up not only getting in the way, but also doing even more damage!”

Legend struggles for a few moments longer, but Twilight’s grip and his words eventually leave Legend exhausted, and he slumps in the other hero’s hold.

“Fuck,” Legend sighs. “Fuck. You were right. I should have said something when I had the chance…”

Twilight lets his arms go slack, moving to sit down and taking Legend with him. Legend lets himself be moved without complaint, numb and feeling like there’s a gaping hole in his chest. Twilight tucks him close, letting Legend curl in his lap and rest his head on Twilight’s shoulder. It’s warm, and yet he feels so cold inside. Twilight grabs the few medical supplies they could spare for him and begins making a surrogate cast for his arm.

“Don’t give up on him yet,” Twilight murmurs. “He might pull through.”

Legend squeezes his eyes shut. He _might_ pull through. It’s a possibility, but considering his injuries… It doesn’t look good for Sky.

When he had gone limp, sheer panic had overtaken Legend. He tried everything to get Sky to wake up; shaking him, screaming at him, prying his eyes open, agitating his wounds, _everything_. But then Time showed up and pulled Sky away, and Warriors ran to help carry him while Twilight fought to get Legend to where they were treating everyone’s injuries.

Sky and Wild have it the worst. Wild had been impaled by a spear and the Lynel had knocked him unconscious with the club, according to Four. Warriors had taken to leading it away, when it spotted Sky and changed course. While Wild’s injuries aren’t great, they know he will survive.

But with Hyrule drained of his magic and currently delirious, they have no way of ensuring Sky’s survival. He has too many injuries and they have too little supplies to fully heal him. Four, being the only hero with minor injuries and the ability to manipulate his speed with his own pair of Pegasus boots, ran ahead to the Village of the Blue Maiden. He left at sunset, and he said he’d be back by early morning.

Which means Sky has to make it through the night.

Shattered rib cage, a mangled right arm from monsters biting it and an arrow being ripped out of it, a concussion, his left arm scorched and covered in lightning feathers, and cuts and gashes all over his body, not to mention his body being exhausted from fighting…

The odds are slim. _Very_ slim.

He watches as Wind leads a stumbling Hyrule over to them. Poor kid looks drained but he keeps a strong face for Hyrule, who just looks very lost and confused.

“He’s this way, Hyrule,” Legend hears Wind say. Hyrule slowly blinks.

“Where…”

“This way.” Wind tugs on his hand and Hyrule lets himself be pulled along, his free hand rubbing at his eyes. Wind comes to a stop in front of Legend and Twilight, dropping Hyrule’s hand and stepping back. Hyrule squints at them, but seems to recognize them as he drops to his knees and worms his way into Twilight’s hold. It’s only when he presses against Twilight’s side and has his hand in Legend’s does Wind speak up.

“He was asking about you.” Wind gives Legend a little smile, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “He didn’t believe me when I told him you were okay, so I thought it would be better to show him.”

“Thanks, bambino,” Legend replies. Wind gives him a nod before jogging back to where the others are currently treating Sky.

“He’s already asleep,” Twilight hums. Legend looks back at Hyrule to see his eyes closed and his breathing deep and even. When Legend twitches his hand, Hyrule squeezes it just a little.

“That was fast,” Legend mumbles, allowing himself to be distracted by Hyrule’s antics. Twilight snorts.

“You know he’s only ever this relaxed when you’re around, right?”

Legend furrows his eyebrows, craning his neck to look up at Twilight. “What?”

Twilight grins. “Well, I suppose you wouldn’t notice. Hyrule gets really jumpy and skittish when you’re not at least somewhere he can see or hear you.”

Legend looks back down at Hyrule and sees the face of a boy who was too young to get caught up in this nonsense.

He can’t help but feel guilty for snapping at him.

A short while that feels like literal years passes by before Warriors eventually makes his way over to them, a grim look on his face.

“I’m not gonna beat around the bush,” He begins. “He’s not doing good. His entire ribcage is shattered and without Hyrule’s magic, we can’t do much except hope the potions help. We’ve managed to heal his arms, but he’s exhausted and we can’t get him to wake up.”

Twilight sighs. “That concussion might’ve put him in a coma.”

“We don’t know for certain just yet,” Warriors says with a sigh of his own. “Do either of you know how he got struck by lightning? Hyrule didn’t specifically target him, did he?”

“Actually,” Legend pipes up, grabbing their attention. “I think they had some kind of code-word.”

“A code-word?” Warriors narrows his eyes.

“Sky told Hyrule that “lightning strikes twice.” Hyrule immediately used his spell after that,” Legend explains.

Warriors crosses his arms. “Did he just electrocute Sky for fun?”

Legend shakes his head. “Sky used the lightning. He had it hit the sword and then he created a beam with it. That’s what killed the Lynel.”

Warriors’ eyes widen, and Legend knows he has just had a revelation. “Spill it,” Legend demands.

“He had old scars on his right arm,” Warriors murmurs. “I didn’t think much of it, but now that you’ve said he used the lightning…”

Legend’s own eyes widen. _He’s done that before._ _He’s—Sky, what the fuck?_

The three sit in silence, the only noise being the late night critters and Hyrule’s heavy breathing as he sleeps away his exhaustion. Warriors sits down beside Twilight after a moment, unwinding his scarf and tossing it over Hyrule.

“You can go see him if you want,” He tells Legend. “You might want to, actually, seeing as how you two are apparently related.”

“Hang on, what?” Legend pulls away from Twilight just enough to sit up properly so he can glare at him. “Did you tell him?”

Twilight blinks. “Do you not remember? You wouldn’t stop telling him that you were his descendant. Everyone heard you.”

_Oh for **fuck’s** sake! Way to go, Link!_

“I’m gonna go check on him.” Legend stands, stumbles a bit—because ow, his leg still hurts—and makes his way over to where Sky is. Time, who is seated beside him, nods in greeting.

“He’s not doing any better, is he?” Legend asks, sitting on Sky’s other side. He might be cleaned up, but his skin is a sickly white color, and he looks to be in pain if his scrunched up face is anything to go by. Time shakes his head.

“No. We cleaned him up, but I’m sure Warriors already told you the news.”

Legend nods. Time stands, grabbing his claymore and hefting it over one shoulder.

“I trust that you will watch over him?”

Legend doesn’t look up from Sky. “I’m not moving an inch until something happens.”

Whether that something is his death or his recovery, he will just have to wait and see.

* * *

The moon is just beginning to set when Legend sees Sky’s eyes blink open. They’re cloudy, and unfocused, but it’s the first response they have gotten from him since he fell unconscious right in front of Legend. Legend thinks he’s imagining things, until the hand he’s holding gives him a very light squeeze.

“Sky?” Legend breathes, leaning over him and watching as those icy blue eyes follow his movement. Another squeeze.

“Holy fuck.”

Legend whips his head to the side to see Wind staring at them. That’s right, Wind is on watch right now. He drops his sword and rushes over to them.

“He’s awake!” Wind skids to a stop and sits beside Legend, who shushes him when Sky grimaces from the noise.

“Not so loud,” Legend lightly chastises. “He probably still has that concussion.”

“But he’s awake! He’s fighting!” Wind replies, though his voice is significantly quieter. Legend smiles. A third squeeze has him looking back down at Sky to see that he has a weak smile on his own face.

“And he’s coherent,” Legend mumbles.

Wind twiddles his thumbs. “I have to keep patrolling, don’t I?”

Legend snorts. “You can always wake someone else and do a double shift later on.”

Wind pouts, but he stands back up and goes to retrieve his sword. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“I’ll take over your shift next time,” Legend replies, getting a bright grin from Wind in response. When he disappears from view, he looks down to see Sky’s smile has turn warm and unbearably fond.

“I inherited my sappiness from you,” Legend gripes. “I know it. It’s all your fault.”

Sky exhales just a little louder, as if trying to huff out a laugh. It sounds more like a wheeze than anything, but Legend understands him all the same. Sky gives him one last squeeze before tugging against his hold. Legend lets him go, and Sky shakily raises his hand up, moving it to cup the back of Legend’s neck—he hadn’t realized how far he was leaning over the other.

Sky has a surprising amount of strength despite his injuries. It only takes one tug to pull Legend’s head down and press their foreheads together.

_His eyes crinkle at the edges just like Zelda’s._

Sky lets his hand fall away from Legend’s neck, and Legend pulls back just enough so he can lay down beside Sky and press his face into his shoulder. He doesn’t get any indication of him being in pain, so Legend assumes he’s good.

“I hate you,” Legend grumbles. He feels Sky’s shoulder shake in a silent laugh.

* * *

The sun is peeking over the horizon when Four returns. Wind takes a bunch of stuff from his arms, gawking at the sheer number of items Four managed to wrangle back to the campsite. Legend can’t help but wonder how Four could have possibly carried all those things while also running at a high speed.

Well, they all have their secrets…

“How is he?” Four asks between his heavy breathing.

“He woke up last night,” Legend replies. If he’s going to be honest with himself, he isn’t quite sure that was real. He’s somewhat convinced it was a fever dream, bur then again he doesn’t remember falling asleep, and yet he also doesn’t remember when Sky’s hand had gotten into his hair.

“He _woke up_?” Four exclaims, then winces when he realizes how loud he just was.

“Yeah!” Wind replies, having no such qualms about keeping quiet. “He smiled and everything!”

“First Legend survives a miracle poisoning, now Sky wakes up from what was supposed to be a coma?” But Four is smiling widely, jogging over and pulling out some potions. “I won’t complain,” He adds.

He really switches moods a lot.

“Did you grab any potions that heal magic?” Legend asks, taking the potion Four was holding out.

“I did.” Four turns to Wind. “Go wake up Hyrule. You have some of the potions that will help with his magic, but don’t give him one unless he actually needs it.”

Wind scampers off to do just that while Legend uncorks his bottle. Together, he and Four get Sky to down two of the potions, though he doesn’t wake up throughout the process, which is kind of alarming. Wind returns with a very sleepy Hyrule in tow, who has a bottle of the magic potion in his hands.

“How is he?” He mumbles.

“He woke up during the night,” Legend replies. Hyrule picks at the cork of his bottle.

“That’s good…” He blinks. “Wait, he woke up?”

“Yeah. But his ribs are still broken, and I’m pretty sure that concussion is why he’s currently not awake.”

Hyrule smirks at him. “Normally you’re so against me using my magic,” He says while he still picks at the cork.

Legend snatches the bottle and plucks the cork out. “Yeah, but I’m here to supervise you this time. That, and his ribs are in literal pieces still.”

Hyrule flushes when Legend hands him the potion again. “I could have done that…”

“As tired as you are? I’m beginning to think we should wait before you start healing him,” Legend says in a teasing tone. Jokes on Hyrule; he’s being deadly serious.

“No, no,” Hyrule shakes his head. “I got this.” He tips his head back and chugs the entire potion in a few seconds. Legend’s jaw drops.

“Wow,” Four mutters, face pulled into a grimace. “You must drink a lot of potions.”

“Oh yeah,” Hyrule answers, oblivious to Four’s snark. “All the time.”

“That’s not a good thing,” Wind mumbles.

Hyrule puts the bottle down and scoots closer, hands hovering over Sky’s chest. He looks up at Legend and gives him a soft, reassuring smile.

“I got this,” He murmurs, and Legend believes him.

White light dances around Hyrule’s fingers as he murmurs under his breath. Legend can feel the energy growing stronger as Hyrule lowers his hands to Sky’s chest. It’s both fascinating and somewhat horrifying to watch Sky’s ribs repair themselves under his light clothing and skin. Legend has jitters in his chest now thanks to that.

Hyrule drains two more potions before the light fades. He blearily blinks, yawning into his fist and swaying from side to side. He goes to grab a fourth potion, but Wind grabs them before Hyrule can and holds them out of his reach.

“You’re like an alcoholic but you’re addicted to potions instead!”

“That can happen y’know,” Time chuckles—what the fuck?

Hyrule pouts as Legend turns to look up at Time. “First of all, how long have you been standing there, and second, who the fuck could have possibly gotten addicted to potions?”

“Well,” Time laughs. “Maybe it wasn’t the potion part of the beverage. Chateau Romani may have healing properties, but it’s still an alcoholic drink.”

“I swear he teleports,” Four mutters as Wind loudly proclaims that alcoholic milk does not count as a potion, healing properties or not.

Meanwhile, Legend turns away to check on Sky. He’s still asleep, but his face has relaxed, and his breaths are deep and even as they should be. Legend takes his hand once more and resumes his waiting.

* * *

They end up staying in their makeshift campsite that day, as Sky doesn’t wake up despite the healing from Hyrule, and Hyrule falls back asleep with his head in Legend’s lap not a half hour later. When Legend questions why he specifically chose to nap there, Hyrule mumbles something along the lines of “it’s only fair.”

Whatever that’s supposed to mean.

Well, it’s not like Legend minds. Zelda does the same thing to him all the time anyway, so it can’t be that different with Hyrule. Besides, his hair is shorter and, therefore, easier to play with.

…

Being sappy is definitely a genetic trait.

By the time nightfall arrives, the others are settling down for the night while Legend makes his first set of rounds. When nothing of note pops up, he returns to the campsite to find Sky sitting upright, slowly looking around while the frankly ridiculous amount of blankets cling to his waist.

He spots Legend almost immediately and grins, waving an arm in a gesture for him to come over. Legend does, almost too eagerly for his liking, and plops down beside Sky.

“You with us for real this time?” Legend asks.

“I don’t know, are you really my descendent?” Sky retorts, though his smile really contradicts the sass.

Legend clasps his hands together in his lap. “You remember that?”

“How could I forget?” Sky shoots back. “I thought you would be the last thing I ever saw.”

_Wow, that’s a mortifying thought, isn’t it?_

“But then,” Sky continues, “you said you were my descendant, and I just…” Sky trails off, huffing out a laugh and shaking his head. “I can’t even describe what I felt. I just know I felt _something_ and knew I couldn’t give up.”

“You were fully prepared to die back there, weren’t you?” Legend whispers.

Sky nods. “If it meant keeping the rest of you alive, yes.”

“Is that what that code-word with Hyrule was all about?” Legend asks. Sky shakes his head.

“No, actually. That was if I ever needed to perform a Skyward Strike if I couldn’t properly charge one up. I talked to Hyrule when I learned he could summon lightning and he agreed to help if I ever said our code-word. Back in the fight, my hand was shaking too much, which is why I said it.”

Legend narrows his eyes. “Did Hyrule know he would end up hurting you in the process?”

Sky flinches.

“Because had your arms not been treated first,” Legend barrels on, “you would have died. And that would have broken Hyrule.”

Sky lowers his head, a guilty gleam in his eyes. “I know.”

That causes Legend to pause. He had been prepared to rant about how the guilt would have gnawed away at Hyrule’s heart if he accidentally killed Sky, but to hear Sky openly admit that he knew?

“But it was either that, or risk the rest of you guys dying,” Sky continues, pinning Legend in place with an icy glare. “I took the chance. I have experience with handling lightning.”

“That’s not something you should have experience in,” Legend snaps.

“You think I don’t know that?” Sky looks down at his hands, eyes tracing the scars left behind by the lightning feathers. “I didn’t _want_ to use lightning, but I had no other choice.”

“… We really are related, aren’t we?” Legend huffs. Sky barks out a laugh.

“We’re both very stubborn and self-sacrificing, yes.”

“More so than the others?”

“I would say so.”

“Goddesses above, I hate you.” Legend snickers. Sky leans over and wraps his arms around Legend’s shoulders. Legend turns his head away as Sky lays his own down on his shoulder, feeling a little flustered at the sudden display of affection.

But his observation stays true because despite his reaction, Sky does not let go, but instead just presses closer. Legend gives up shortly after and gently bumps their heads together with an uncontrollable smile slowly spreading across his face.

_Okay, so the sappiness might not be genetic._

“I can’t believe we’re actually related,” Sky hums, rocking them slightly. “How long have you known?”

Legend lets his eyes fall shut. “Since we sparred.”

“Really?” Sky lifts his head off his shoulder, and Legend opens his eyes to meet his gaze. “You’ve known for that long?”

“I theorized—”

“So you denied.”

“—that you were my ancestor because I realized you build Hyrule from the ground up. That would make you the start of the Royal Family and the bloodline. And I’m the older brother of my Zelda.” Legend pauses. “I didn’t deny it!”

“Oh, yes you did,” Sky laughs. “Otherwise you would have told me while I was _not_ injured.”

Legend grumbles, but doesn’t say anything. _Dammit_.

* * *

“Wait, so you’re telling me that you both throw punches and kicks in a sword fight, you both used some kind of method to fly all around your time period while on your adventure—or adventures in Legend’s case—you both like whip-like items—or literal whips in Sky’s case—and both of you made the Master Sword?” Wind asks, eyes wide.

Legend raises his hand. “You’re kind of reaching a bit far with some of those, and I didn’t make the Master Sword, I upgraded it.”

“Technically I upgraded it too,” Sky whispers. Legend elbows him.

“Shh!”

“And you’re both the biggest softies I have ever met!” Wind exclaims, pointing an accusatory finger at them.

Sky laughs while Legend bristles. “Hey! What about Hyrule?” Legend shouts.

“I’m not as big of a softy as you,” Hyrule chuckles.

“And why not?” Legend retorts.

“Because people don’t expect you to be a softy.”

“Why you—!”

“If you really want a clear similarity,” Sky interrupts, all sunshine and smiles as always. “We have the same eye color.”

“Oh, hey, you do, don’t you?” Twilight murmurs, looking between the two, when he gets a mischievous spark in his eyes. “Tell me, Sky, do you happen to have any weird mannerisms? Such as those of a—”

“If you want a clear difference,” Legend interrupts through gritted teeth as he sends a glare at Twilight. “I’m royalty.”

Four perks up. “Wait, really?”

Legend blinks. “Dude. I’m related to Sky, y’know, the one who helps his Zelda _found the entire kingdom_? I’m the older brother of my Zelda. Yes, I’m royalty!”

Sky gasps just then, hands flying to his cheeks while the biggest, dorkiest grin stretches across his face. “Oh Golden Goddesses,” he gasps as his face flushes pink.

“What?” Legend asks.

“I’m going to have so many granddaughters!”

“Seriously? _That’s_ what you’re hung up on? How did you not already _know_?”

**Author's Note:**

> This was so fun to write. I say that about like every fic of mine but _it was, okay!?_  
We've always had the HC that Legend and his Zelda are siblings, and we all know that Sky hooks up with his Zelda at the end of SS and creates the Royal Family, but I've seen people link (hehe) these two things together like... once?  
Which is a damn shame because I think it's both really endearing and _absolutely hysterical._  
I hope you enjoyed!  
Bonus:  
"Hyrule! _Fried Cucco!_"  
Hyrule lets out a groan as Legend just looks between him and Sky. "Why did we call it that?" He yells over the whinnying horses and the shrieks of monsters  
"Because nobody was ever going to figure it out! Now do the thing! Come on! I can barely hold my sword!" Sky shouts back.


End file.
